FORT MYERS, FLa. -- Just last year in January of 2015, Florida legalized gay marriage. Now, one year later, State lawmakers might pass a law that would prohibit any lawsuits being filed against churches or pastors that choose not to marry gay couples.
"I think the Pastor Protection Act is completely just mean spirited because it really doesn't effect anything other than say we don't like gay and lesbian people getting married," said St John Apostle Pastor, Steve Fillizzi. Fillizzi doesn't agree with the message the law sends. "Well I believe what it says is that gay and lesbian people can be discriminated against."
Pastor Hayes Wicker of Naples Baptist tells me by phone the pastor protection act does just what it implies; protect. "There has to be something extra to protect pastors and religious leaders in the right particularly to choose who they marry and do not marry in the institution of marriage through the church."
On the other side of things, Filizzi feels the law is unnecessary because its unlikely any Pastor will get sued for refusing to marry any couple. "That makes no sense at all to me that because its not a possibility. On what grounds past, you know the freedom of religion do you have ?" Filizzi said.
